27 posts from March 2012

03/30/2012

In 2011, JW Marriott launched a collection of strategic partnerships with leading luxury brands in nutrition, culinary, art, culture, and well-being. The strategic partnerships were developed as part of a global brand initiative to deliver enriching luxury guest experiences at JW Marriott hotels and resorts around the world.

While each partnership is unique, all will be represented on a “JW Marriott Panel of Experts,” where they will offer fresh insights on the world of luxury and their own unique perspective on the JW Marriott guest. These experts will also provide exclusive content for the www.jwmarriott.com brand website and the in-room JWM magazine.

About JW MarriottJW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today’s sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 53 JW Marriott hotels in 22 countries; by 2015 the portfolio will encompass 80 properties in 29 countries.

03/28/2012

LOS ANGELES, CA – Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) hosted more than 1,300 attendees from around the world to unveil future innovation and growth plans for its full-service portfolio and to celebrate an 85-year legacy of service. Aptly named "Brand New World," the conference represents the first time property leaders and Marriott senior executives have gathered together since 2005. Marriott International brands participating in the conference include The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott Hotels, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, Renaissance Hotels, Autograph Collection and Marriott Executive Apartments.

“It is exciting to see how much we’ve grown since our last meeting and to share all of the new and innovative things we are doing now and are planning for the future,” said Arne Sorenson, president and chief executive officer of Marriott International, Inc. “We expect to open roughly 30,000 rooms this year and our development pipeline totals 110,000 rooms, which implies continued strong unit growth well beyond 2012. We are bullish about the long-term growth prospects for both Marriott and the global lodging industry. With a growing middle class and rapid economic growth in many emerging markets, global demand is increasing steadily. Our products are high quality, our guest satisfaction is very high, and our brands are preferred by owners and franchisees. New hotel openings and renovations of existing hotels continue to energize our brands, and with new designs and services, we continue to find great ways to engage our guests.”

News on Marriott International’s full service brands includes:

The Ritz-Carlton, a name synonymous with luxury, will continue its path of global expansion with plans to take the brand into countries such as Austria and Israel for the first time. With other openings in key gateway destinations such as Okinawa, Vienna, Abu Dhabi, Tianjin, Chengdu and Herzilya, The Ritz-Carlton expects to grow its hotel portfolio to more than 85 hotels within the next 12 months. This growth comes at a time when the brand is also renewing its exceptional service promise. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company continues to showcase the core service philosophy that makes them a successful luxury lodging company. Disrupting convention in the category, The Ritz-Carlton poses an alternative style of question to guests, asking ‘Let Us Stay With You’, thereby reversing the age-old approach of hotels asking guests to stay with them. Through the use of artwork, film, messaging, and digital experience platforms, guests are asked to allow The Ritz-Carlton to be much more than just a hotel; indeed to be that indelible memory that lasts a lifetime. www.ritzcarlton.com

JW Marriott Hotels, a luxury brand and namesake of the company’s founder, consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today’s sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere. JW Marriott properties provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that reflect their locale and are delivered with an intuitive response to personal expectation. Recent news from the brand includes the introduction of several extraordinary partnerships that offer JW Marriott guests the opportunity to experience the best of culture, culinary, and well-being. Partners include exclusive relationships with CHRISTIES, Inc., Aromatherapy Associates, Keri Glassman, Treasury Wine Estates and Dr. Pamela Peeke. There are currently 53 JW Marriott hotels operating in 22 countries, with hotels expected to open by year-end 2012 in Mexico, Peru, India and Azerbaijan. By 2015 the portfolio is expected to encompass 80 properties in 29 countries. Learn more at www.jwmarriott.com.

With the goal of offering a contemporary, elegant collection of luxury hotels in gateway cities and exclusive resort locations around the world, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts was introduced in 2001. Today, Bulgari’s exquisite resort destinations in Milan and Bali offer au courant Italian lifestyle experiences. The Bulgari Hotel & Residences, London is expected to open in spring 2012. www.bulgarihotels.com

EDITION, a luxury lifestyle hotel brand created in partnership with Ian Schrager, is on track to have six hotels operating in major global gateway cities by 2015. With the January announcement of one of Manhattan's most beloved buildings, the Metropolitan Life Tower “Clock Tower,” newly announced hotel contracts in Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, as well as two hotels under construction in London and Miami Beach, EDITION expects to have hotels on three continents within three years. There is currently one EDITION Hotel open -- The Istanbul EDITION. EDITION combines the personal, intimate, individualized and unique experiences which Ian Schrager is known for, with the global reach and operational expertise of Marriott International. www.editionhotels.com

Marriott Hotels & Resorts, the signature brand of Marriott International, announced this week a collaboration with Steelcase and IDEO to revolutionize hosted work environments in its hotels and to start a dialogue around the evolving needs and mindset of Gen X and Gen Y global business travelers. The Future of Meetings Innovation Lab at the conference showcased ten meeting and work space prototypes that are currently in development. General Managers from around the world had the opportunity to experience these prototypes first-hand, offer immediate feedback and help co-create meeting spaces of the future in real time. The unveiling at the conference represents the first phase of the collaboration among Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Steelcase and IDEO, as the brand demonstrates its deep commitment to re-imagining hospitality for a new generation of global travelers. Marriott Hotels & Resorts is the company’s largest brand by number of hotel rooms globally with hotels, resorts and conference centers in more than 50 countries. www.marriotthotels.com

Renaissance Hotels, the original Lifestyle brand within the portfolio, expects to add nine new hotels this year in key destinations worldwide including Istanbul, Shanghai and Kiev. This planned expansion will further expand Renaissance Hotels’ current portfolio of lifestyle hotels to encompass nearly 160 hotels in 35 countries. In addition to its continued growth, Renaissance Hotels continues to offer guests the opportunity to discover the best of entertainment through its signature RLife LIVE program, one of the hospitality industry’s leading entertainment platforms. RLife LIVE is well recognized for featuring the best of new and emerging musical talent into the hotel for guest and locals. www.renhotels.com

Autograph Collection, Marriott’s expanding portfolio of independent hotels that provides individualist travelers with unique experiences, recently announced the addition of The Saint in New Orleans, as well as the iconic Blue Moon and Winter Haven hotels in Miami Beach to its growing lineup. Each of the hotels is the first to join Autograph Collection in their respective cities. With these properties, the collection has accumulated an impressive 32 hotels in its portfolio since its launch in 2010, with plans to add more than 50 properties by the end of 2012 in various key markets worldwide. Along with the continued expansion of the Collection, Autograph also continues to receive rave reviews for its one-of-a-kind website, www.autographhotels.com, developed to inspire the independent traveler.

Marriott Executive Apartments is Marriott’s only serviced corporate apartment brand offering the convenience of 5-star, full-service hotel facilities with the space, ambience and privacy of upscale residential living and the assurance and security of a Marriott experience. Marriot Executive Apartments properties, which are all located outside of North America, offer studio to three-bedroom apartments and are designed for executive expats staying 30+ nights, usually on temporary assignment or relocation. Each property is influenced by local design elements and features state-of-the-art facilities and technology. There are currently 22 Marriott Executive Apartments locations in 15 countries with plans to nearly double over the next five years. Visit www.marriottexecutiveapartments.com

NOTE: The statements about the future additions of hotels are “forward looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, not historical facts, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth; and other risk factors identified in Marriott International, Inc.'s most recent annual report on Form 10-K; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by our statements. These statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Los Angeles, Calif. – The nature of work is changing: it’s mobile, fast-paced and global. While most people demand choice and control to work when and how they want, wherever they are, working remotely doesn’t always offer consistent options when it comes to access, comforts and convenience. Marriott Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Marriott International (NYSE:MAR); Steelcase, the world’s leading workplace experience provider; and global design and innovation consultancy, IDEO, today announced a collaboration to design, create and test innovative concepts and solutions for the future of work and meetings in hotels. The collaboration comes to life this week as a showcase of these potential solutions is unveiled at the Marriott Hotels & Resorts Global General Manager Conference in Los Angeles.

With mobile technology, the world is becoming interconnected and people need the right blend of spaces and solutions to support their different work needs throughout the day –wherever they are. Whether staying at a hotel individually or attending a meeting or conference, business travelers need spaces that offer them choice and control for quiet, individual work in comfortable and inviting public spaces or collaborative settings for groupwork with colleagues. Leveraging unique insights from IDEO and Steelcase, Marriott Hotels & Resorts aspires to revolutionize hosted work environments in hotels, while opening a dialogue around the evolving needs, desires and mindset of the Gen X and Gen Y global business traveler.

“By 2013, almost 35 percent of the global workforce will be mobile. We are designing hotels for a new generation that is used to working how, where and often times whenever they want,” said Paul Cahill, senior vice president, Brand Management, Marriott Hotels & Resorts. “Marriott Hotels & Resorts is the leader in hospitality, and no one understands the changing nature of work better than Steelcase. Together, along with IDEO, we are excited to collaborate on the Future of Work, a working innovation lab designed to create solutions that innovate, elevate and evolve the hotel work experience.”

The Future of Work Innovation Co-Labs at the General Mangers Conference showcases ten prototypes that create new technology, space, and service experiences for meetings and work. Marriott Hotels & Resorts general managers are experiencing the prototypes, offering immediate feedback, and ultimately helping ‘co-create’ meeting experiences of the future in real time.

Having worked together for more than 40 years, Marriott and Steelcase have a history of collaborating to provide business travelers with satisfying work settings.

“People need environments that help them innovate and inspire them to do great work,” said Mark Greiner, chief experience officer, Steelcase. “With business executives working remotely more frequently, work has to go where they go. By bringing choice and control to a hosted-meeting environment, Steelcase, Marriott Hotels & Resorts and IDEO are delivering an unparalleled proposition for today and tomorrow’s global worker.”

With its innovation and design heritage, IDEO helps companies visualize new directions that often lead to new products and service offerings. Their contributions in behavioral research and the science behind how people work have been a critical success factor for Marriott International brands in the past.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Marriott Hotels & Resorts as well as Steelcase on this exciting endeavor,” said Beth Viner, Associate Partner at IDEO. “It is our experience that our most innovative clients in the hospitality sector understand that it is not just about changing the physical space but instead choose to focus their attention on behavior and design. Both Marriott and Steelcase are heavily invested in creating change that affects the total experience from beginning to end.”

Today’s work is more global and more social, and a new generation of workers demand and expect solutions that enable them to be untethered and collaborative. With the first phase of this collaboration under way, Marriott Hotels & Resorts demonstrates its deep commitment to re-imagining hospitality for a new generation of global travelers.

About Steelcase Inc.For 100 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world’s leading organizations — wherever work happens. Steelcase and our family of brands – including Steelcase, Coalesse, Designtex, Details, Nurture, PolyVision, and Turnstone - offer a comprehensive portfolio of furnishings, products and services designed to unlock human promise and to achieve social, economic, and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 650 dealers. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading, and publicly traded company with fiscal 2011 revenue of approximately $2.4 billion. Our workplace research is published through the Steelcase 360 Magazine, 360.steelcase.com and 360 iPad app.

About IDEO IDEO is an award-winning global design firm that takes a human-centered, design-based approach to helping organizations in the public and private sectors innovate and grow. The company identifies new ways to serve and support people by uncovering latent needs, behaviors, and desires.

About Marriott Hotels & ResortsMarriott Hotels & Resorts continues to inspire and provide a balanced life on the road for discerning and high-achieving business and leisure travelers, offering warm, professional service; sophisticated yet functional guest room design; lobby spaces that facilitate working, dining and socializing; restaurants and bars serving international cuisine prepared simply and from the freshest ingredients; meeting and event spaces and services that are gold standard; and expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit www.MarriottHotels.com.

03/26/2012

Marriott International was recently honored by The Women Presidents’ Educational Organization (WPEO) as an "Outstanding Corporation" for creating access for Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) to private-sector opportunities. The award is given to one New York-based and one Washington, D.C.-based WPEO Corporate Sponsor that has contributed to the WPEO, has supported other women in business and has developed innovative resources and initiatives for supplier diversity.

The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) also recently announced Marriott as one of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises. This award is the only national award honoring corporations for world class programs that level the playing field for women’s business enterprises (WBEs) to compete for corporate business. Marriott was recognized for developing and driving innovative best practices that result in productive business partnerships with women entrepreneurs and valuable products and services for its customers. For more information on Marriott's diversity and inclusion efforts, visit www.marriott.com/diversity.

Marriott was recently named a supplier diversity leader by HispanicBusiness magazine. Ranked at 10, Marriott was the only hotel company in the top 10. The ranking evaluates the top FORTUNE 1000, subsidiaries of the Global 500 and large U.S. private and public companies. Companies are evaluated on management's involvement in supplier diversity, procurement from minority suppliers and outreach efforts to minority suppliers. For more information on Marriott's diversity and inclusion efforts, visit www.marriott.com/diversity.

LONDON – Check In and Rock Out. Renaissance Hotels (www.renhotels.com), in partnership with the MTV EMA, today announced a competition to discover the greatest new musical talent in Europe, giving bands the once in a life time opportunity to compete for the ultimate prize of performing around the industry’s most high-profile international awards ceremony – the MTV EMA.

Beginning today thru April 29, bands in France, Germany and the United Kingdom are encouraged to visit www.mtv-renaissance.com and submit a video of themselves performing in order to enter the competition. Renaissance Hotels and MTV Talent and Music divisions will judge all performances and shortlist artists from each country, leaving two acts from each country that will then go head-to-head in the race to the MTV EMA. Starting May 15, fans will be asked to vote online for their favorite band. It’s act versus act, city versus city, country versus country!

The band with the most public votes will win their chance to go to the MTV EMA in Frankfurt to play at a high profile event around the awards and the opportunity to play in front of VIPs, brand managers and music label reps. Featuring today’s hottest artists and international superstars, the 2012 MTV EMA will broadcast live from Frankfurt’s historic Festhalle on Sunday, November 11, 2012.

The “Best Band in the House” competition is part of RLife LIVE (www.RLifeLive.com), Renaissance Hotels’ entertainment and music platform that provides hotel guests and local patrons the chance to engage with musical talent on-site at Renaissance Hotels around the world. The unforgettable interactions vary from acoustic performances, listening parties, unexpected DJ sets, post-concert events and meet and greet opportunities that go beyond a quick photo or autograph signing.

“Renaissance Hotels has always had its finger on the pulse of the music industry, and we are thrilled with the opportunity to partner with MTV and search for the best new talent in Europe. We are excited to showcase the best talent we find as part of the “Best Band in the House” competition in our hotels and to introduce this great new talent to our guests.” said Osama Hirzalla, vice president brand marketing for Marriott International in Europe. “The key is to give exposure to the best of this emerging talent on the verge of superstardom and to offer our Renaissance guests intimate access to true discovery moments so they can boldly claim “I knew them when…,” added Hirzalla.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Renaissance Hotels for the first time and very excited that part of the year-long partnership involves them being digital MTV EMA sponsors,” said Antonio Canto, senior vice president, Be Viacom. “The MTV EMA is one of the biggest nights on the music scene globally, having an unparalleled connection with the youth audience. It’s the ultimate vehicle to engage with young people in a targeted and powerful way, offering sheer brand power to Renaissance Hotels’ “Best Band in the House” campaign”.

Fans can get exclusive access to Best Band in the House competition news and updates, and connect with undiscovered artists and music fans by joining the RLife LIVE community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RenaissanceHotelsUK. RLife LIVE launched in 2010 including an eclectic fleet of emerging artists on the verge of superstardom at various Renaissance Hotels, including the following artists and/or tours:

1. The closing date for entries to the competition is 12:00pm (GMT) on 29 April 2012.2. The competition is only open to residents of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, aged eighteen (18) or over.3. The competition is only open to unsigned bands. Only one (1) entry per band. Bands to have no more than 6 members.4. To enter, entrants must follow the instructions on www.mtv-renaissance.com.5. The winning band will win an opportunity to perform at a venue in Germany in respect of the 2012 MTV EMAs taking place on the weekend of 11 November 2012.6. The THREE (3) SHORTLISTED bands must be available to PERFORM AT AN EVENT TO TAKE PLACE IN THEIR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE BETWEEN 9 AND 22 JULY 2012. 7. The Winning band must be available to travel TO GERMANY between 9 and 12 November 2012 and must hold valid passports.8. THE THREE (3) SHORTLISTED BANDS AND THE WINNING BAND MUST ENTER INTO COPYRIGHT AGREEMENTS WITH MTVNE. 9. Entrants are responsible for all costs not specified.

RENAISSANCE HOTELS is an upscale brand with more than 150 properties in 34 countries that speaks to passionate travelers in search of authentic local discoveries when traveling for business or leisure. Renaissance Hotels has recently welcomed several new "gems" to its global collection – the historic 5-star St Pancras Renaissance in London, the exotic Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa in burgeoning China, the urban boutique Renaissance Atlanta Midtown and the sexy Renaissance Sao Paulo. These hotels join a rich portfolio defined by distinctive and well-known icons such as the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., the Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort & Spa, and the Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel. To make reservations and for more information about Renaissance Hotels, visit www.renaissancehotels.com. Follow Renaissance on www.twitter.com/RenHotels, Facebook.com/RenaissanceHotels and the Rlife Blog at TheRenaissanceLife.com.

About the MTV EMAThe “2012 MTV EMA” will be available to a potential viewing audience of more than 1.2 billion people via MTV’s global network of more than 60 channels reaching more than 640 million households around the world as well as through syndication. In addition, its convergent programming and content will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV’s 300-plus digital media properties around the world. Richard Godfrey and Bruce Gillmer are Executive Producers for the “2012 MTV EMA.”

Since its inception in 1994, the MTV EMA has established a reputation as one of the most sensational music award shows in the world. The “2011 MTV EMA”, held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, saw a double digit increase in total viewers with over 23 million viewers across multiple platforms. The 18th annual show also saw a 37% increase in the coveted 12-24 demographic, and voting for the 2011 MTV EMA was up a staggering 236% with over 158 million votes worldwide.

BETHESDA, MD - Marriott International’s (NYSE:MAR) global lifestyle hotel brand, Renaissance Hotels, announced today its plans to open a new 181-room Renaissance Hotel in Santiago, Chile, in 2013. The property will be operated by Administraciones y Operaciones Hoteleras Hotech S.A. under an agreement with Altamira Grupo Inmobiliario. The property is part of a larger complex which will also include a triple-A class office building.

Situated on one of Santiago’s most prestigious avenues, Avenida Kennedy in the Vitacura district, Santiago’s upscale residential district, the Renaissance Santiago will be located across the street from the Mall Parque Arauco, which includes a number of high-end stores, a movie theater, a bowling alley and great restaurants and nightlife.

“We are thrilled to be bringing the Renaissance lifestyle brand to Santiago,” said Julio Salvador, President of Altamira Grupo Inmobiliario. “With its prime location in the prestigious Vitacura district and proximity to major businesses and attractions, we know that it will be a very successful property.”

“With such great representation of the brand in the region with the Renaissance Caracas La Castellana Hotel and our flagship property in South America, the Renaissance Sao Paulo, the Renaissance Hotels brand has become a favorite amongst South American travelers”, says Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International, Inc. in the Caribbean & Latin America. “We are confident that this hotel will be highly successful, and play a large role in the continued emergence of Chile as a leading economy in Latin America.”

In addition to the 181 guest rooms, the hotel will feature a three-meal-a-day restaurant affiliated to one of Chile’s most renowned chefs, a coffee bar and a terrace lounge. It will also feature four spacious meeting rooms, including a large ballroom; as well as an executive floor, a gift shop, fitness center and swimming pool.

Renaissance Hotels is the flagship lifestyle brand for Marriott International where each property is unique and reflects the locale in which it resides. Renaissance Hotels are recognized around the world for always delivering a modern, sophisticated and authentic environment for travelers. The brand will open more than ten new hotels in 2012, and is currently represented in Latin America by the Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel in Brazil.

Altamira Grupo Inmobiliario is a Chilean-based real estate development company specialized in high-end residential real estate projects. This will be Altamira’s first venture into the hotel Business along side Marriott International.

RENAISSANCE HOTELS is an upscale brand with more than 150 properties in 34 countries that speaks to passionate travelers in search of authentic local discoveries when traveling for business or leisure. Renaissance Hotels has recently welcomed several new "gems" to its global collection – the historic 5-star St Pancras Renaissance in London, the exotic Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa in burgeoning China, the urban boutique Renaissance Atlanta Midtown and the sexy Renaissance Sao Paulo.. These hotels join a rich portfolio defined by distinctive and well-known icons such as the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., the Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort & Spa, and the Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel. To make reservations and for more information about Renaissance Hotels, visit www.renaissancehotels.com. Follow Renaissance on www.twitter.com/RenHotels, Facebook.com/RenaissanceHotels and the Rlife Blog at TheRenaissanceLife.com

03/20/2012

Andrew Houghton, Marriott's area vice president for the Caribbean, along with executives of Digicel Haiti greet Stephanie Balmir-Villedrouin, Haiti's Minister of Tourism, at a reception hosted by Marriott in Port-au-Prince. Marriott's regional operations team visited Haiti the week of March 12th to discuss plans for the Port-au-Prince Marriott Hotel with the hotel's ownership group, Digicel Haiti, and to meet with local business, industry and community leaders. The hotel is slated to open in 2014, with construction commencing later this year.

03/19/2012

Brand Continues European Expansion with Openings in Montpellier and Boulogne.

London – Marriott International has opened two new Courtyard by Marriott hotels in France, the Courtyard Montpellier and Courtyard Paris Boulogne.

The 123-room Courtyard Montpellier is designed by star architect Jean Nouvel, and is located next to the City Hall and close range of shops and restaurants. Montpellier’s historical centre and local attractions such as the Fabre museum and Convention Centre are just a short tram-ride away. The hotel offers a Mediterranean experience at the Oleo Pazzo Restaurant with views over the Lez River, while the Design Bar in the heart of the lobby area offers a relaxed environment in which to enjoy drinks and snacks throughout the day. Guests can also take advantage of the heated outdoor pool, running track, and exercise room. Business needs are well catered for with an on-site business centre and five conference rooms accommodating up to 180 people.

The 113-room Courtyard Paris Boulogne is situated just a 15 minute Metro ride from Paris city centre and its many attractions. The hotel is at the center of three of Paris’ most thriving business districts and features 200m² of multi-purpose meeting facilities for all manner of seminars and events as well as a roof-top terrace with a panoramic view over Paris. The Oleo Pazzo Restaurant boasts a sun-drenched summer terrace and the Cent Quatorze Bar is the perfect destination in which to wind down after a busy day in Paris.

““With the addition of these two new hotels, Marriott now operates 17 hotels in France,” said Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International in Europe. “As an essential part of our growth strategy and with the recent introduction of our Courtyard prototype in Europe, we see tremendous opportunity for expansion of the brand here, now 47 hotels strong across Europe.”

Designed to provide options and flexibility for business travelers, both hotels boast spacious, stylish and comfortable guest rooms that offer large well-lit work desks, ergonomic chairs and coffee makers as well as a 24/7 market providing drinks and snacks around the clock. The hotels reflect the newly designed lobby spaces of the Courtyard by Marriott brand boasting large HD TVs, high speed internet, and Go Boards offering live news, weather, and sports information, enabling guests to stay connected in the comfort of the relaxing public spaces.

The Courtyard Montpellier and Courtyard Boulogne, along with more than 3,500 Marriott-affiliated hotels worldwide, participate in Marriott Rewards, the guest reward program that allows its more than 33 million members to earn points or airline miles for each pound spent during each stay.

03/16/2012

Soon Marriott Rewards members will be able to donate points to help wounded warriors and their families.

United States Senator Ben Cardin and Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (both D-MD) today announced that three major hotel corporations have agreed to participate in a new national program that will allow American citizens to donate their hotel reward points to wounded warriors and their families. Marriott International was the first hotel company to agree to participate in the program, followed by the Wyndham Hotel Group and AmericInn Hotels & Suites. Event participants called on the rest of the lodging industry to follow their lead and agree to participate by Memorial Day, when organizers hope to open the program to donations. [pictured from l to r: David Coker, president, Fisher House; Joseph McInerney, president and CEO, AH&LA; Debbie Marriott Harrison, SVP of Government Affairs, Marriott International; Senator Ben Cardin; Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger.]

“Hotels for Heroes” will be modeled off the national “Hero Miles” program, which provides free round-trip airfare to wounded warriors traveling to receive care through the military health system, as well as to friends and family visiting them. Flights are made possible by frequent flyer miles donated by the American public. “Hotels for Heroes” was created by bipartisan legislation authored by Congressman Ruppersberger and Senator Cardin that passed in December.